The Hacker Mindset

Saturday, December 16th, 2017

In many ways, hackers are the model citizens of the digital era. They are creative, persistent, and resourceful. They think in digital terms and have the curiosity and drive to figure out how technology works. They view every problem as an opportunity. They stand up for what they believe in and they want the world to be a safer place.

Hackers also know a thing or two about the limits of technology. They have a healthy mistrust of computer systems and they understand that no software is immune to bugs and to have security vulnerabilities. They also know that just because computers and software can do a lot of good, it doesn’t mean they can’t also be used for doing a lot of bad. To them, it goes without saying that software will always do MORE than it was intended to do, and so they are constantly on the lookout for vulnerabilities.

That’s why it’s so important for companies to start cultivating the hacker mindset inside their own organization today. Not only can it change the way employees view and value cybersecurity, which leads to better security across the entire organization, but it can also help your workforce become more curious and resourceful — two of the most valuable skills in a future with widespread artificial intelligence and automation.

The idea is to get people shifting gears and exercising their mental muscles in new ways. This helps teams avoid tunnel vision and groupthink, and gets them thinking more creatively. It also makes everyone more observant and curious about the world around them.

Summing-up: Looking to the years and decades ahead, we must all learn to think like hackers. When you adopt a hacker mindset, you aren’t traumatized by rapid advances in computer technology. Instead, you embrace them and recognize their ability to make the world a better and safer place. That’s not just good for security — it’s good for business.